Parisian Chic: Lindy Bop’s ‘Bernice’ Dress

Basically, my life on social media goes a bit like this:

Me: gosh that’s a pretty dress

Me: *five minutes later* oh no I’m poor

Yeaahh…since discovering how beautifully other people dress, I now treat Instagram a bit like a curated shopping list. I’ve asked my bank balance to keep quiet about how many impulse purchases I’ve made because I’ve spotted someone wearing something, and at that moment just HAD to have it. And those times where it’s been on my personal wish list for a few weeks? I wait for an offer, and I go a bit mental purchasing all the pretties for a meagre 10% off. And if I pay full price for it? Then it has probably been in my basket for weeks, and I’ve been dreaming about it, and I’ve probably been Googling for reviews so I can verify that, yes, it is absolutely perfect.

The Lindy Bop Paris dress was absolutely one of those dresses that I dreamed about. I’m often reluctant to buy from Lindy Bop, because I find their sizing varies wildly, and in some items, it squishes my boobs whilst gaping around my waist. I’ve returned so many items, having fallen in love with them – only to find that they make me look like a tent when they arrive.

When my lovely Paris arrived, I was a younger and more innocent 50s style enthusiast. I actually laugh out loud remembering the day I bought it, tried it on, and said “oh…it’s a bit – floofy, isn’t it?”

Oh, past me, you are hilarious. You used to think that wearing a very slim petticoat was ‘a bit much’, and that ‘everyone’ might notice. Nowadays, I feel naked without one. I’m sure many other 50s fashion fans would agree; it’s weird how quickly you acclimatise to the style, and how quickly you learn to ignore the sneers/remarks/stares. People: it’s fashion. It isn’t going to come after your children when you’re sleeping.

ANYWAY. So, I bought this dress when it came out last year, and for my sins it lay in the wardrobe, sadly waiting for the day I took it out and showed it the light of day. Luckily, I got over my fear of petticoats and fully embraced the full-flood lifestyle.

In the case of the Bernice ‘Paris’ print – NO REGRETS. This dress has to be one of the best-fitting dresses I have in my wardrobe.

I am currently: bust 36″, waist 27.5″, hips 39″, and I opted for the ‘Bernice’ in a size 10. Now, I know that in the past I’ve had trouble with Lindy Bop’s sizing, often where the waist is too big and the bust too small, but this dress fits me perfectly!

There is no stretch to the material, so it’s worth consulting the size guide on this one. It’s lined, which is lovely too, and feels like a good quality dress. The zip at the back is nice, but it does catch a little on the lining sometimes, so it’s worth being careful when you zip up. It comes with a slim white belt too, which is lovely – and more cream than white. I use it with other outfits, so I’ve find it quite versatile. However in this dress I often opt for a wider black belt, as I frequently wear black flats and it looks a little more pulled-together if I can coordinate colours somehow!

I found the bodice to be slightly tight, however in my case I do prefer a more pin-up look with a fitted bodice, but it’s more generous than many other retailers on the bust; it’s nice not ‘bursting out’! I’m a FF/G cup (depending on the brand) so it’s actually quite hard to find dresses that fit me on the chest and don’t swamp me. I was so happy to find that this one fit perfectly, with room to breathe, and the sweetheart neckline is very cute without being revealing.

I had it in my wardrobe for aaaggeesss because I couldn’t figure out how to pair it with anything; white looked a bit too fancy, black looked too stark, and I didn’t have any blue or pink jackets or cardis. Imagine my happiness when Collectif brought out their pink Outlaw jacket for the SS17 season?! I snapped it up immediately, because I thought it would be the PERFECT accompaniment for my Paris dress, and looking at these photos, I feel I might have been on to something! What do you think, does it work?

Having fallen deeply and madly in love with the Paris version of this dress, I was lucky enough to snag two other Bernice dresses in a Lindy Bop sale. They are pretty much my go-to dresses when I can’t choose what else to wear, and I definitely think they’ll be a staple in my summer wardrobe!

I wasn’t able to get the red Bernice in my size, but I did bag myself the gorgeous mint colour, with coral flowers, and a turquoise-green with baby pink flowers.

Perfect, I think, with one of the Doll Me Up cardis – this is the Rose Pink in Medium. These cardigans are wonderful, and I’m so glad we have a UK stockist of them as having them shipped from the USA can mean A LOT of import fees.

And this below is absolutely lovely – a turquoise-green Bernice that I love to pair with my cropped leather-look jacket! Don’t tell Paris, but this might even be my favourite outfit of all time. Shhhh.

Seriously, how cute is that little rocket necklace?! Sugar and Vice make THE BEST jewellery. I’m also really sad that Accessorize don’t sell these little bags anymore as I often get asked when I wear it where I bought it from. Everyone looks quite sad to hear that I picked up this beauty in about 2015 – I saw it in the shop window, and impulsively ran inside and bought it immediately. Obviously I don’t recommend this approach, but in this isolated case it turned out very well indeed!